Pitcher Caleb Bolden, designated hitter Evan Lee and second baseman Casey Martin met with the media after the Hogs’ demolition of Dayton.
Morris talks with the media prior to spring start
Arkansas coach Chad Morris talked about the team’s offseason workouts and how he likes that everyone has “bought in” to new approach so far.
Hogs bounce back to down Vandy in SEC’s first round
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Arkansas hit six baskets in a row to start the second quarter, taking control of the momentum in an 88-76 win over Vanderbilt in the first round of the SEC Tournament.
The Razorbacks (13-17) move on to face No. 15 Texas A&M (22-8) in the second round. The game will tip at approximately 2:30 p.m. and air on the SEC Network.
The Razorbacks had four players in double figures paced by a career-day from sophomore Kiara Williams. The Little Rock native scored 25 points shooting 11-for-13 from the floor. She added 10 rebounds picking up her fourth double-double of the season.
Williams played a career-high 32 minutes and added a 3-for-3 performance from the line, one block and two steals.
Junior Malica Monk was also in double figures with 20 points including three 3-point field goals. Jailyn Mason added 14 points followed by 13 points from graduate student Devin Cosper and 12 points from junior Raven Northcross-Baker in the win.
Vanderbilt (7-24) opened the game strong with a 9-0 run before the first media timeout. They led, 20-13, after the first quarter as Arkansas finished the frame going 2-for-15.
The Razorbacks found a spark to start the second quarter jumping out on a 7-3 run including a coast-to-coast performance from Monk who grabbed a rebound, sprinted the floor for a layup and was fouled. She made the bonus shot and Arkansas was in control of the game.
The Commodores were solid for the rest of the game, tying the contest three times in the third quarter but Arkansas rallied each time eventually stretching the lead to as much as 18 points in the final frame.
Notes
• Arkansas has forced double figure turnovers in 26 games this season. They had Vanderbilt in double figure miscues with 10 with 2:30 to in the second quarter and finished with 20 for the game.
• Kiara Williams has scored in double figures in the first half in five games this season including a 10-point effort in the first 20 minutes against Vanderbilt. She also had seven rebounds and was 5-for-6 in the first half.
• Arkansas is 10-1 in games in which they lead at the half. The Razorbacks led Vanderbilt 37-32 at the break.
• Arkansas is 12-1 when leading going into the fourth quarter. The Razorbacks were up 66-57 heading into the final frame.
• Arkansas’ 29 third quarter points is the most in a single quarter this season.
• Today’s game was the second time this season we have had five players in double figures (Abilene Christian).
• Malica Monk has scored in double figures in 28 games and has had 10 games with 20 or more points this season.
• Jailyn Mason has scored in double figures 20 times this season and 29 times in her career. Today’s 14 points was her third consecutive game in double figures.
• Devin Cosper has had 20 games in double figures this year and Raven Northcross-Baker has had four games with 10 or more points.
Palsha gets invitation to NCAA Championships in two weeks
FAYETTEVILLE — Freshman Peyton Palsha was announced as the lone Razorback swimmer to qualify for the 2018 NCAA Division I Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships, the NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving Committee announced Wednesday.
The championships will be held March 14-17 at the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion in Columbus, Ohio. The Ohio State University and the Greater Columbus Sports Commission will serve as co-hosts.
A total of 322 participants (281 swimmers and 41 divers) will compete in the championships. Swimmers qualified for the championships by meeting the established minimum time for the events in which they entered.
Palsha qualified for the 1650 freestyle, after swimming a personal-best 16:12.53 at the SEC Championships two weeks ago, finishing sixth overall in her first conference championships.
She holds the fastest time on the team this season in the event, including three of the top six times.
Palsha has also been invited to participate in the 500 freestyle and the 400 individual medley.
“Obviously, we are excited for Peyton,” said coach Neil Harper. “It is great for her to come in her freshman year and perform so well and qualify for NCAA’s. This will be a great experience for her and she is already training hard to attempt to go even faster. This year’s meet and qualifying times were faster than ever. We had several seniors get really close and we are disappointed for them in their last season.”
Divers will be determined by performances at the Zone Diving Meets held March 5-10. Selected divers will be announced Sunday, March 11.
ESPNU will broadcast live the championship finals session Friday starting at 5 p.m. Eastern time.
The finals session on Saturday will be streamed live by ESPN3 starting at 6 p.m. Eastern time.
All sessions not broadcast by either ESPNU or ESPN3 will be streamed live on the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships microsite at www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com.
Tape delayed coverage of the women’s championships will be broadcast on ESPNU March 25 at 4 p.m. Eastern time.
Tenth-ranked Razorbacks back home to host Arizona
FAYETTEVILLE — Tenth-ranked Arkansas returns to the friendly confines of Barnhill Arena for the first time since February 9 to host Arizona in its first non-conference dual meet of the season.
In this week’s first Regional Qualifying Score (RQS) rankings, the Razorbacks moved back into the top-10 with an average of 196.530 following its second highest road score in program history of 196.875 at No. 5 Florida last Friday.
Arkansas’ score of 196.530 is its highest opening week RQS since 2012.
Three Razorbacks have made their 2018 debut in the all-around in the past two weeks including freshman Sophia Carter, sophomore Hailey Garner and senior Amanda Wellick. In Wellick’s debut at Florida last season, the Razorbacks competed a season high four all-arounders.
Freshman Sarah Shaffer continues her torrid pace through her first full season as a Razorback.
Last Friday at Florida, the Tyler, Texas, native posted the highest scores among freshmen in the SEC on vault, bars and floor. She has recorded a 9.900 in two events two out of the last three weeks, including four out of five on the floor.
How They Compare (Season RQS)
Vault: Arkansas- 49.015, Arizona- 48.895
Bars: Arkansas: 49.165, Arizona- 48.940
Beam: Arkansas- 49.200, Arizona- 48.565
Floor: Arkansas- 49.175, Arizona- 48.950
Total: Arkansas- 196.530, Arizona- 195.180
The Razorbacks have posted scores of 196 or higher in six of the last seven meets. This season, Arkansas has scored a 49.000 or higher in 21 event rotations, after posting similar scores just 18 times all of last season.
Action is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m., with pre-meet ceremonies beginning at 6:45 p.m.
Friday’s meet will be Arkansas’ annual pink meet as all fans are encouraged to wear pink to the meet.
The Razorbacks will recognize breast cancer survivors prior the start of the meet and enter the competition area with the Arkansas team to be introduced.
Fans can nominate survivors here to be recognized. Students attending the meet will have a chance to win one of four $100 gift cards.
Highlights of Hogs’ win over No. 14 Auburn
VIDEO FROM ESPN SEC NETWORK
Senior guard Daryl Macon talks about his final game at home and the offensive production late in the season.
Big night by Barford, Gafford pace Hogs to win
FAYETTEVILLE — Behind double-doubles from Jaylen Barford and Daniel Gafford, Arkansas defeated Auburn, 91-82, Tuesday night.
Arkansas has now won six of the last seven games, improving to 21-9 overall and 10-7 in SEC play.
The Razorbacks moved to 8-2 against Auburn under coach Mike Anderson, including a 4-1 mark at home against the Tigers.
Arkansas has won 10 of the last 12 meetings against the Tigers, including six of the last seven at home.
Fittingly, Arkansas started five seniors Tuesday night, just the second time this season the Razorbacks have done so. However, the game did not start as planned.
Arkansas fouled Auburn three times in the first 40 seconds, as the Tigers would hit three of four free throws to take a 3-0 lead.
Arkansas settled in, going on a 10-0 run to gain control. After going back and forth, the Razorbacks gained their first double-digit lead of the half at 24-14 after a small 6-0 run.
Auburn ran off a 12-4 spurt to cut make it a two-point game before it turned into the Daniel Gafford show. Gafford recorded dunks on back-to-back possessions before swatting an Auburn shot that led to a transition dunk for senior guard Daryl Macon.
Arkansas would go on to lead by as many as 13 points in the half, as the Razorbacks took a 52-42 lead into the break.
It marked the sixth time this season and second time in SEC play that Arkansas scored 50-plus points in the first half.
Looking eclipse 1,000 career points, Macon, needing 14 points, would score 11 in the first half. Also looking to surpass the plateau, Jaylen Barford, needing 17 points, led Arkansas with 13 at the break.
Arkansas opened the half with a plan and executed it to perfection.
The Razorbacks found Gafford inside on three-straight possessions, as the big man slammed home his fourth and fifth dunks of the, along with a lay-up to score six straight and force the Tigers to use a timeout.
The Razorbacks opened on a 9-0 run as Macon hit a three in transition to give the Little Rock native 1,000 career points. Macon became the sixth Razorback in program history to record 1,000 career points in just two seasons.
As Arkansas stretched its lead to 19, Auburn responded with a 10-2 run to cut it back to nine.
Barford helped the Razorbacks extend its lead back out, scoring five straight, as the senior would join Macon and become the seventh Razorback in program history to pass the 1,000 career points mark in just two seasons.
Auburn cut the Arkansas lead to six but Arkansas would hang on to win.
Gafford led the way for Arkansas, finishing with his second career double-double, recording 21 points on 10-of-15 shooting, 10 rebounds and seven blocks. The big man also recorded seven dunks.
Barford recorded his first double-double of his career, scoring 20 points and pulling down a career-high 10 rebounds. Macon added 16 points, going 4-for-4 from deep, to go along with six assists and three rebounds.
Arkansas’ bench was key Tuesday night. It outscored Auburn’s 40-15. In the last two games, the Razorbacks’ bench has outscored its opponents by a margin of 62 to 27.
Game Notes
• Arkansas improves to 110-17 at Bud Walton Arena under Anderson.
• The win marks No. 15 in Bud Walton Arena this season, marking the seventh time in the last eight years that Arkansas has won 15+ wins in BWA.
• The win marks the fourth ranked team Arkansas has beat at home this season, the most in a single season in program history.
• Daryl Macon and Jaylen Barford became the 42nd and 43rd players, respectively, in school history to eclipse the 1,000 career points mark.
They are the sixth and seventh Razorbacks to accomplish the feat in two seasons.
Four of the seven players will have done it in the last four seasons under Anderson (Bobby Portis, Dusty Hannahs, Daryl Macon, Jaylen Barford).
• The Razorbacks are 38-23 against AP top 25 teams in Bud Walton Arena, including winning five of the last six such games.
• Arkansas is 4-0 at home against ranked teams this year for the first time in 10 years, and have won those games by an average 11.5 points.
• During the last five years, the Razorbacks have posted a 35-15 (.700) regular season record in the months of February and March.
• Arkansas has won 38 consecutive games in which it has led at halftime. During Mike Anderson era, the Razorbacks are 123-7 when leading at the intermission.
• During the Mike Anderson era, Arkansas is 88-11 when scoring 80+ points, including wins in 33 of the last 34 games.
• Arkansas has recorded 12 victories over AP Top 25 teams during the Mike Anderson era, including at least one in six of his first seven years.
Hogs’ Barford, Macon talk about big win over Auburn
Arkansas’ Jaylen Barford and Daryl Macon met with the media after the win over Auburn and at the end took pictures of the media.














